Business · Macro & Policy

Croydon Mayor Backs Rail Fix to Become South England Nightlife Hub by 2040

Croydon's executive mayor, Jason Perry, wants the borough to become one of southern England's best nights out by 2040. He says that depends on government backing for a rail fix at East Croydon, which Network Rail calls Britain's busiest bottleneck.

By Alistair Sterling

November 15, 20262 min read

Croydon Mayor Backs Rail Fix to Become South England Nightlife Hub by 2040

A south London town aims to become one of the best places in the south of England for a night out by 2040, but its mayor says that depends on the government fixing a rail bottleneck. Croydon's Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, set out the vision at the Invest in Croydon conference on Thursday, November 12.

Perry said he wants Croydon to be a major hub for conferences, exhibitions, restaurants and nightlife. He called on ministers to back the long-delayed Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme, known as CARS.

The mayor's pitch

"By 2040 I want Croydon to be known as the business events hub of the Thameslink corridor and one of the best places in the South of England for a night out," Perry said.

He described a town where an international hotel operator sees its next investment and a local chef opens a first restaurant. "I want people to get off the train in Croydon, because there is history, heart and hustle here," he said.

The rail bottleneck

CARS targets congestion around East Croydon station on the Brighton Main Line. Network Rail describes the area as Britain's busiest rail bottleneck.

First proposed in 2020, the scheme is meant to add capacity at East Croydon and Norwood Junction. It would also remodel the track layout around the "Selhurst Triangle".

In March, Transport Minister Simon Lightwood confirmed the previous government had paused the project in 2022 without telling stakeholders. In September, the Prime Minister pledged to get it "back on track".

Gatwick joins the call

Perry and London Gatwick Chief Executive Pierre-Hugues Schmit have written jointly to Chancellor John Healey. They want the bottleneck tackled as a priority.

The letter follows the recent green light for Gatwick's Northern Runway programme. It is expected to create around 14,000 jobs and add £1bn in economic benefits each year. Local authorities along the Thameslink route and Croydon East MP Natasha Irons back the call.

"Addressing the Croydon bottleneck would strengthen a vital connection between Gatwick, London and the wider country," Schmit said.

What is at stake

Earlier modelling suggested that resolving the bottleneck could free up around £5.1bn in economic value for Croydon over 20 years. Supporters also hope CARS would improve access to the London Cancer Hub in neighbouring Sutton and the planned Universal United Kingdom theme park in Bedford.

Perry warned that the Brighton Main Line is projected to reach capacity by 2030. East Croydon handles more trains each day than all the intercity operators serving Euston, King's Cross and St Pancras combined.

"A delay at the junction can be felt from Brighton to Bedford," he said. "If people can't count on getting to work, or businesses can't count on customers and staff getting to them, we will miss out on growth."